The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1887-12-02
LOVE FINDS A WAY.

Rosalie and | were seated in the
cosy back Earler looking over our
wardrObes. | had an array OF faded
old dresses that | had turned over
and made and dyed until there was
nothiug else could be done TO them.
ROsalie, who was The pet OF the fam.
ily, eXulted in the possession OF a
new white muslin, and l must say l
was little jealous.
We expected visit from Our
cousin, Dale Ardavan, and were
rather ashamed of our poor little
house aud surroundings. ROSalIe
always appropriated him for her
self, AS she had done everything
else since l was a baby, butI liked
the big, manly fellow just the same.
If Dale noticed our shabbiuesa he
said nothing about it when he came.
/ saw very little OF him, as | taught
the village school, bnt he was 2eu-
orally on hand to speak a kind word
when | started out. ROsalie aud he
spent whole days together, and it
looked very much as though
match would result.
Que morning as they were start
ing off TO 60 to Il picnic he Stopped
me with AN earnest look Oh his lace.
"Why will you work yourself to
death Z" he said. "BetIer come
with us to the woods"
But shook my head. l cOnld
not tell him that mother aud Rosa
lie were dependent on my efforts.
All day in the hot school-room his
kindly eyes followed me and cheer
ed me.
In the afternoon, just as recess
was over, terrible storm came up,
and had all could do to reassure
the children, who were crying
around me | begah to pray, for |
was terribly frightened at the thun-
der. The next moment there was
a flash OF lightning and the roof of
the sch0Ol.house fell in.
| can remember Geing picked up
in some ones strong arms and feel
ing tears upon my face, and lips
p essed to mine then all was blank
again.
But one morniue-Oh sweet,
blessed relief IL opened my eyes
on our own homely little room, new
er before Il paradise to me. Every
thing was still, SO very still, and l
slowly took in each familiar object.
Seated by the window, his face hid
deu in his hands, was Dale Arda-
van.
"Dale," | said, in a thin, weak
voice, surely not my voice, "come
here"
He started forward, but checked
the words that rose to his lips, and
came aud knelt quietly by the bed
side, and l am sure that there was
something moist on the pitiiul,
wasted hands he beut over, but lie
said never Il word.
"Dale," l went On questionably,
scarcely positive yet as TO my own
identity, ~ have been very illp
ayes, very i'll, my Marian; but
you must not talk, not ever so lit.
tie. You are better now, SO much
better, but quiet is esSeutial.n
"Tell NE then, every thing, all
about il, for | eau never rest until
the dreaming aud reality are sepa
rate and distinct"
He told me then of how he aud
ROsalie, seeing the storm, had re-
turned from the picnic aud he start
ed toward the school house
intending TO bring me home, aud
iouud nothing but a trightful mass
OF mortar aud brick Of how the
/ village had cOugregaled, aud men,
women and children, too, and work
ed as never before IN an agony ol
fear, for it was their own flesh and
blood that lay buried beneath.
"You escaped better than most
of them, Marian" said Dale in con.
clusion, "and had it not been for
the fever raging in your veins,
aud in my case inevitable, you
would not have suffered greatly from
/ the accldeut; as it is, yen have bad
an pBquestionably severe time
We knew this morning. aud there
was q little quiver in the voice,
isthat the chances we're ten to one
you would open your eyes in anoth-